Dirk Nowitzki IS the best German basketball player ever to play the game. End of story. I know, I know, it's not really that ridiculous of a claim to make, as I do not believe many people would argue with me, but just because he is the best German to ever play the game should not mean that he cannot be considered one of the best players in the history of the NBA.
Dirk has graced Mavs fans and other basketball fans alike across the country and world with his incredible talent, and I would deem him as one of the most underrated players ever. Yes, he is recognized as a great player, but he lacks that pizzazz and sex appeal many other star players have that leaves him in the shadows many times rather than the spotlight. After all, he is just a tall, lanky, white 7 footer who happens to have one of the sweetest shots the world has ever seen. He likes his place outside of the spotlight. He takes pay cuts so that Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson and owner Mark Cuban can recruit talent when he could be one of the highest-paid players in the league.
Dirk has spent the past 18 seasons playing his game posting up at the top of the key shooting the "Dirk fadeaway" that is literally unblockable. He has racked up 29,491 points placing him 6th all time in the NBA on the all-time scoring list and has also scored the 15th most points all-time in the playoffs. Nowitzki has also led the Mavericks to a total of 15 playoff appearances each year since 2001, excluding 2013. The most notable postseason; however, came in 2011 when he was an essential part in beating the "Big 3" in Miami to win the franchises first ever championship. Finally, in 2007 Nowitzki was named league MVP, making him the first European to ever win the award.
After losing their series to Oklahoma City, the Mavericks are done for the season. This may also very likely mean that we are now down to one last season to see one of the greatest players ever compete. It is more crucial than ever to recognize the talent this guy still has and to bring him into the spotlight that he has deserved for almost his entire career. Celebrate all that Dirk has brought to this league, and recognize we may never get the chance to see someone like him again.
